A Buying Guide for Kickscooters

For first-time scooter shoppers (or maybe second-time, but decades removed), deciding what kick scooter to go with can be tricky. What sets one apart from another? As someone who has had the pleasure of becoming quite familiar with a variety of adult kick scooters, I thought I would write a quick shopping guide for some of the most popular scooters out there.

What’s to like:

Lightweight

Adjustable height

Large wheels

Matches your kid’s Razor

Very affordable

Razor is the ubiquitous brand in kick scooters, and chances are anyone born since about 1990 has spent time rolling around on their brightly colored wheels. In this regard the times have not been a-changin’, so a small person in your life keeps scooting a little faster than you can walk, this might be your answer. Be careful though–these scooters are not known for their durability.

Why you’ll love it:

Super speedy

Compact

Lightweight

Affordable

The Micro is probably the speediest kick scooter I have ridden, and one of the lightest too. It can be found in an elegant white and blue paint job, or a striking black one with orange highlights. For the non-thrill seekers out there, this might be a bit too speedy, though.

What’s brilliant:

Extra-wide board

Hand brake in addition to optional fender brake

Thick aluminum construction

Good combination of sturdiness and speed

The CityKicker is a luxurious, high-end kick scooter. These scooter are outfitted with a super reliable handbrake, making them a great option for folks who want to use a kick scooter but are worried about rolling down their steep drive a bit too fast. This is one scooter that boasts a zippy, rigid ride.

For those looking for a smooth scoot no matter the terrain, look no further than the KickPed. Its extra-wide wheels give it the ability to float over pretty much any surface, making it ideal not only for bumpy sidewalks in the city, but also for hard dirt roads and gravel in more rural areas. Folks who know they are going to be putting their scooters through more than its fair share of abuse will be happy with the burly steel construction–the KickPed can carry up to 300 pounds! In order to make this high weight capacity possible, the KickPed is designed with a solid, non-adjustable stem piece, but it also comes in two different sizes to fit small and large people easily. Finally, this scooter features the coolest folding mechanism of the bunch–a metal, spring-loaded sheath covers the hinge at the base of the stem. Simply slide the sheath up, fold the stem down, and loop the heavy duty nylon band at the bottom of the handlebars around the rear fender. In its folded state, there is enough clearance between the deck and the stem to simply throw the scooter over your shoulder, so there’s no need for a strap. The KickPed weighs a pound or so more than its peers, but the payoff is an indestructible all-terrain scooter that can take on anything you throw its way.